You will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

— Jeremiah 29:13 (AMPC)

We may have to deal sternly with our flesh (our old nature) to resist the passivity that tries to keep us from growing closer to God. A commitment to spend time with Him is as serious a commitment as any we will ever make.

For instance, if I needed dialysis because of kidney disease and had to be at the hospital twice a week for treatment at 8:00am, I certainly wouldn’t accept an invitation to do anything else during those times, no matter how appealing it seemed or how much I wanted to do it. I would know my life depended on keeping my dialysis appointment. We need to be that serious about our time with God. .

Sometimes we become slack in keeping our appointments with God because we know He’s always available. We know He’ll always be there for us, so we may skip or reschedule our time with Him so we can do something that seems more urgent. If we spent more “priority time” with God, we might not have as many “urgent” situations that rob us of time.

When we spend time with God, even if we don’t feel His presence or think we’re learning anything, we’re still sowing seeds that will produce a good harvest in our lives. As you stay determined and persistent, you’ll reach the point where you’re understanding more of God’s Word, enjoying your relationship with Him, and hearing His voice more and more.

Prayer Starter: Father, please teach me how to be more intentional about spending time with You. Thank You so much for giving me the ability to grow in this area. In Jesus’ Name, amen.